Lasting machine



June 28, 1949. J. FossA LAsTING MACHINE Filed Dot. 19, 1945 aww. ww .[0 mm .ww l s mw .i m 0 M w w [l Patented June 28, 1949 UNITE D STATES PATENT OFFICE LASTING MACHINE' Joseph. llossa Salem, Mass.,..assignorv to United Shoe Machineryl Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 19, 1945; Serial No. 623,289

7= Claims'. 1f

This inventionA relates to machines for use in the manufacture of shoesV andparticularly toi ay novel and improved apparatus for progressively lasting with an adhesive.- While hereinillustrated as embodied in a lasting machinel of the type disclosed in United States Let-tersPatent No. 234111,82?, issued my name on November 26, 1946; it istobeI understood that the invention is'- of broader utility and not-limitedtouse in a machinel organization off' the exact character ex empliiied in the mentioned patent.

As nowf performed on existing types of lasting' machines, the operation of progressively lasting with an adhesive involves the' preliminaryv step ofcoating-y the inside facel of the lasting margin of the stock and/ortho marginali portion ofthe bottom face ofthe shoehbottom part with adhesive of a' type which wheni permitted to dry for a predetermined period: will become tacky, i. ez, capable of bondingthe lastingV margin securely' to` the shoe-bottom` part in'v lasted position, andwhichY willv remain in this` tacky condition for an appreciable period and at least long enough for thelasting operation'tobeperformed; Suchdry'- ing period not' only consumesV valuable' timeh and` thusA slows upl production but also it frequently happens; due to carelessness or someunavoi'dableA delay,4 that the adhesive is permitted todry/for' too'long'a timeand thus reaches a non-tacky condition, with the result that it must be reactivated* and: again dried for the proper1 time to' render it ta'cky'befrore thev lasting operationv can proceed; thus-involving still further delay and expense.

Moreover; the usek ofthermoplasticA adhesives; for progressive lasting in accordance with the procedure outlinedabove, isf impractical, mas-- much as these adhesives; after application ina heated liquid or semi--liquidv state; wouldcoolso quickly as toreacli a non-tacky con-dition before the lasting` operation could be performed.

Accordingly, it is an object of thisinvention tol provide an improved machine fory lasting progres-'- l sively with an` adhesivezwhich iscapable ot satisfactory'operation wit-hf adhesive whichis in aurion-V tack-y conditiong thusaavoiding delay'andcobv-iating the need for the exercise ofV care to see: thatJ the lasting operationiis' performed exactlyl at the;- time when the adhesive has: reached a= tacky" conditioni aswell aszmakingit possible to usetypes of adhesive which could noty hitherto be-em'- ployedfor progressive lasting; Withthis object; inzview, the. hereiniillustrate'dama'chine; which.has..

means for Workinglthetlasting .margin ofthe stools` to:v bey 1asted into lasted; position over ay sheer-bots toxmpartin ldierent. locations progressively. along;

the edge of the shoe loottormincluding means for pressing; the lasting. margin, each of'k said 1oca.- tions; against the shoe bottom,. tof secure it lasted?. position, is. provided: with means for applyingI heat; to thee lasting. marginof the stock andyor the. shoe-bottom. part toy activate and render tacky adhesive thereon before the lasting margin is pressed against. the shoe-bottom.. pa-rt.` While-inthe herein-illustrated machine;A the last-y ing. instruinentalities. comprise gripperjaws whichl seize the stockv and tension itv .by drawing it inwardly from' the edge ofthe shoe bottom and over aportiony ct a shoeFbottorn-engagingf membenandv tile-means for pressingthe stockV againstthe shoe-- bottom; part is in the form oi a presser member that moves first ytoward theI shoe bottom and'- thereafter moves in a direction to'- feed the shoe, i't' isl toloe understood that-the use of other types ofprogressively acting. lasting. devices are within the scope of'v the invention.

In accordance witht-his invention, the means for applyingheat' may' take various forms and two desirable arrangements are illustrated herein; In one, which` is particularly'well adapted' for appli'cation to' a lasting machine of the type herein illustrated, means are provided for heating a shoeebottom-engaging memberover which the lasting' margin of the stock' is drawn by gripper jaws", while in the other the machine is provided with means for directing' a blast of hot, gaseous medium, such as hot air; directly against the adhesivel on. the lasting margin and/or shoe-bottom part., Witheach arrangement, however, the efV fect is the same and heat is applied during thelasting. operation to activatey and render tacky the: adhesive,` whether it.. be on the lasting margin, shoe-bottom part,v or on. both, before the lasting margin ispressed4 against the shoe-.bottom part.. Furthermorel the lasting margin: of the stock Willi berendered pliable and more readily workable bythe. application of heat. thereto with the result that therlastingoperation will be facilitat'edl andA improved results obtained.

The above and other objects and features of -tl-ie. invention willy be apparentl from the follow-V ingLA detailed description.y otthe embodimentsy thereofl illustratedain the accompanying.. drawings and Willbe pointedout: inthe claims.

In' the drawing-s-,-

Fig; 1. isa viewinside elevation of a portion of a lasting machine embodying features of this invention;

EigtZ isa view-indront-elevation of the-operatingelements of the :machine shownin Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig, 1 but showing a modification; and

Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of the operating elements of the machine shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the lasting machine therein illustrated is, except as modified for the purposes of this invention and in the manner set forth below, the same as the machine disclosed in the above-mentioned patent and is provided with a gripper comprising a rear jaw i and a front jaw l2, a shoe-.bottom-engaging member Ell, a presser-feed-oot i6, a feed-retaining nger i8, and an edge-gage roll These parts are supported on and operated by mechanism contained within a hollow head 24. The rear gripper jaw l is carried by a block in which a rod 32 is slidably mounted, and secured to the outer end of this rod is the front gripper jaw i2 which is urged toward the rear gripper jaw I0 by a tension spring $4.

The shoe-bottom-engaging member |4 is in the form of an armllll which extends downwardly from a hub journaled on a shaft 42 mounted in an overhanging portion of the head 24, and as in the machine of my prior patent, means operated by a foot treadle, not shown, are provided for moving the shoe-bottom-engaging member to the operating position, in which it appears, from an inoperative position, to which it is swung, to the left and in a clockwise direction, Figs. 1 and 3, by a spring, not shown. Also extending from this same hub is an arm 44 to which is connected a link B6 that operates means for holding the gripper jaws i0 and l2 open ywhen the shoe-bottom rest is in its inoperative position, in the manner explained in detail in my prior application. The presser-feed-foot I6 and feed-retaining finger i8 are mounted on the outer ends of lever arms and 52, respectively, that extend into the head 24 where they are connected to operating mechanism contained therein.

As is explained in my prior patent referred to above, the illustrated machine operates to last stock, such for example as the lasting margin M of the upper U, shown on a last L on which there is assembled an insole I, in the following manner. The shoe is presented to the machine while the shoe-bottom rest is in its inoperative position and with the gripper jaws held open.

Yihen, as the treadle of the machine is depressed,

the shoe-bottom-engaging member I4 moves into its operative position where it engages the marginal portion or the insole I. The gripper jaws iirst close on the upper and then move to the left to pull the upper inwardly from the edge of the shoe bottom and over the shoe-bottom-engaging member I4, thereby to tension the stock heightwise of the last and draw its lasting margin in over the shoe bottom. W'hen the gripper has completed this tensioning action and just as the jaws are about to open to release the stock, the presser-feed-foot |6 descends to the position shown in Fig. 2 and presses the tensioned and overdrawn margin M firmly against the insole. Immediately thereafter, the presser-feed-oot moves in a direction to feed the shoe, to the left in Fig. 2, while the feed-retaining finger |8 moves upwardly and out of engagement with the overlasted margin of the upper to permit such feeding movement. At the completion of this feeding movement the presser-feed-foot I6 is elevated and returned to its original position during the time that the gripper jaws are again operated to tension the next adjacent portion of the upper, the feed-retaining finger |8 now descending to apply additional pressure to the overlasted mar- -gin and to prevent retrograde movement oi the shoe. If the inside face of the lasting margin M and/or the marginal edge of the insole I, is coated with adhesive in a tacky condition, the pressure applied by the presser-feed-foot and feed-retaining ringer will cause the upper to be bonded securely in lasted position on the insole, as will be readily understood. However, should the adhesive be in a non-tacky condition, as may frequently be the case, a satisfactory bond will not be obtained and the upper will not be held securely in lasted position.

To avoid such diliiculty, and to make it possible to last progressively where the adhesive is not in a tacky condition, the illustrated machine is provided with means for applying heat to the adhesive on the lasting margin and/or shoe-bottom part to activate and render the adhesive tacky, during the lasting operation and before the lasting margin is pressed` against the shoebottom part by the presser-feed foot I6.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, this is accomplished by heating the shoebottom-engaging member. Referring to these figures, the shoe-bottom-engaging member |`4 has a projecting portion 60 provided with a flat bottom surface 62 for engaging the marginal portion of the insole I and an inclined face 84 against which the lasting margin M is drawn during the operation of the gripper to tension the upper. Formed integrally with the arm 40 is an extension B6 provided with a bore 68 in which is positioned an electrical heating unit 1d. Leads 12 and 14 extend from this unit to a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown, so that the projecting portion 60 of the shoe-bottom-engaging member will be heated to a temperature suflicient to activate adhesive on the lasting margin M and/or on the marginal portion of the insole I, and render such adhesive tacky, by virtue of direct engagement thereof with the surfaces 62 and/or 64, during the operation of the machine and before the lasting margin is pressed against the shoe-bottom part by the presser-feed-foot The degree of heating of the shoe-bottom-engaging member may be varied to suit different operating conditions and suitable automatic controls may, if desired, be utilized to regulate the temperature.

Heat may also be applied `by directing a blast of a hot gaseous medium, such for example as hot air, onto the inside face of the lasting margin of the stock, and/or against the marginal portion of the shoe-bottom member, and Figs. 3 and 4 show a machine provided with means for accomplishing this purpose.

Referring to these iigures, the machine therein shown, which is the same as that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, has supported on its head portion 24 a tube |00 in which is mounted a resistance coil |02 from which leads |04 and |06 extend to a source of electrical energy, not shown. Connected to one end of this tube, by means of an elbow |08, is a pipe I0 that extends to a suitable source of air under pressure, not shown, while an outlet nozzle H2 is connected to the opposite end of this tube by means of an elbow H4. A valve of appropriate construction ||S is arranged in the pipe H0 and this valve has an operating arm ||8 which is connected to the arm 40 which carries the shoe-bottom-engaging member I4, by means of a link |20. In the positions of the parts as shown in Fig. 3, this valve is open so that air under pressure will pass through the coil heated air through the nozzle lf2 will be cut off.

i Ae. Wiil be apparent with the ahem arrangement, hot air will be dischargedr through the nozzle H2. ail-yall` tiniesduring they operation of the machine in the lasting of a shoe, and this stream of hotair will be directed ontoithe inside facet f; the.. lasting margin M and alsol against the, mar- .gnal4 DQItion of the insole. I so as taativfate andi render.. tacky adhesive. Qn.. these parts.

With each of the arrangements above described, heat is applied to the lasting margin and/or the shoe-bottom part, during the lasting operation, and adhesive on either or both of these parts will be activated and rendered tacky before the lasting margin is pressed against the shoebottom part. Thus a secure bonding of the lasting margin to the shoe-bottom part is assured even though the adhesive may have been in a non-tacky condition at the beginning of the lasting operation. Moreover, such application of heat to the upper stock will tend to render it pliable and more readily workable so that the lasting operation itself is greatly facilitated.

In using lasting machines provided, in accordance with the features of this invention, with means for applying heat to the lasting margin of the stock to be lasted, and/or the marginal portion of the shoe-bottom part, no care need be exercised to make certain that the lasting operation is performed at exactly the time when previously applied adhesive has reached the proper tacky condition. Also it is possible to use adhesives which could not hitherto have been employed for progressive lasting with machines of known types. For example, the lasting margin and/or the shoe-bottom part may be coated with thermoplastic adhesive which is allowed to cool before the parts are assembled on the last, or at least before the lasting operation is initiated, and such coating, or coatings, will be acti- Vated by the application of heat thereto during the lasting operation. In fact, even when lasting stock coated with adhesive, such for example as solvent-type cements or latex, which adhesive coatings may be more or less tacky, the application of heat thereto will greatly hasten the setting of such cements and thus improve the bond between the lasting margin and the shoe part.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a lasting machine, the combination with a member for engaging the bottom of a shoe adjacent to the edge thereof, means for tensioning stock to be lasted, in different locations progressively along the edge of the shoe bottom, by drawing the lasted margin of the stock in each location inwardly over the shoe-bottom-engaging member and in a direction substantially parallel to the bottom of the shoe, and means operating in time relation to said tensioning means for pressing the overdrawn lasting margin in each location against the bottom of the shoe, of means for applying heat to the lasting margin and shoebottom part, during the operation of said tensioning and overdrawing means, to activate adhesive thereon before the lasting margin is pressed against the shoe-bottom part by said pressing means.

2. In a lasting machine, the combination with a member; for engaging. thebottom of: a shoeadjacent to the edge. thereof, means for tensioning stock to. be lasted, in different locations progressively alongy the edge et the sli-oe; bottom, by drawing the lasting.l margin of'vr the stock in. each location inwardly overV the shoe-bottom-engaging member and in a direction` substantially parallel tothe bottom of the shoe, and means operating in time relation to` said.- tensioning means for pressing the overdrawn lasting margin in. each location against the bottom`v of the shoe, of means positioned adjacent tosaid shoe-bottom-engaging member for directing: a blast of hot, gaseous medium againstv the lasting margin and shoe.- bottom part, during the operation of said tensioning and overdrawing means, to activate adhesive thereon before the lasting margin is pressed against the shoe-bottom part by said pressing means. 4

3. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for working the lasting margin of stock into lasted position over a shoe-bottom part, progressively in different locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, including means for pressing the overlasted margin in each location against the shoe-bottom part, of a member constructed and arranged to contact the bottom of the shoe and the lasting margin of the stock, during the operation of said overworking means, and means for heating said member to activate adhesive on the lasting margin and shoe-bottom part before the lasting margin is pressed against the shoebottom part by said pressing means.

' 4. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for working the lasting margin into lasted position over a shoe-bottom part, progressively in different locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, including means for pressing the overlasted margin, in each location against the shoe-bottom part, of a member constructed and arranged to contact the lasting margin of the stock during the operation of said overworking means, and means for heating said member to activate adhesive on the lasting margin, before the lasting margin is pressed against the shoe-bottom part by said pressing means.

5. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for Working the lasting margin into lasted position over a shoe-bottom part, progressively in different locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, including means for pressing the overlasted margin, in each location against the shoe-bottom part, of a member constructed and arranged to contact the bottom of the shoe, during the operation of said overworking means, and means for heating said member to activate adhesive on the shoe-bottom part, before the lasting margin is pressed against the shoe-bottom part by said pressing means.

6. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for tensioning the stock, in different locations progressively along the edge of a shoebottom part, and for drawing the lasting margin of the stock in each location inwardly over the shoe-bottom part, and means for pressing the lasting margin in each location against the shoebottom part, of a member constructed and arranged to contact the shoe-bottom part and the lasting margin of the stock, during the operation of said tensioning and overdrawing means, and means for heating said member to activate adhesive on the lasting margin and shoe-bottom part before the lasting margin is pressed against the shoe-bottom part by said pressing means.

7. In a lasting machine, the combination with a member for engaging the bottom of a shoe adjacent to the edge thereof, means for tensioning stock to be lasted, in different locations progressively along the edge of the shoe bottom, by drawing the lasting margin of the stock in each location inwardly over the shoe-bottom-engaging member and in a direction substantially parallel to the bottom of the shoe, and means operating in time relation to said tensioning means for pressing the overdrawn lasting margin in each location against the bottom of the shoe, of means for heating said shoe-bottom-engaging member to activate adhesive on the lasting margin and shoe-bottom part, during the operation of said tensioning and overdrawing means, before the "lasting margin is pressed against the shoe-bottom part by said pressing means.

JOSEPH FOSSA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

